Babu unveils first phase of Veligonda Project

Metro India News | AMARAVATI

A three-decade-long wait for the people of the drought-prone regions of Prakasam, Nellore and Kadapa districts finally ended on Monday, with Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu formally dedicating the first phase of the Poola Subbaiah Veligonda Project to the nation.

At Ghantavanipalle in Dornala mandal, the Chief Minister performed special rituals and offered Jal Harathi to the Krishna waters emerging from the twin tunnels carved through the Nallamala hills. He later offered prayers to the river and paid obeisance to the waters before releasing them into the Nallamala Sagar reservoir.

The historic flow of Krishna water triggered celebrations among farmers and residents of western Prakasam, who have waited for decades for a permanent solution to their water crisis. The first phase will provide irrigation to 1.19 lakh acres and drinking water to nearly four lakh people.

Addressing a public meeting, Naidu described the occasion as one of the most emotional and memorable moments of his political career. Recalling that he laid the foundation stone for the project on March 5, 1996, he said its first phase being inaugurated exactly 30 years later represented the fulfilment of a long-standing commitment.

“Thirty years ago, I laid the foundation. Today, Krishna water has reached Nallamala Sagar. I gave my word and kept it,” Naidu said, asserting that Veligonda would transform the drought-hit region into a prosperous agricultural belt. The Chief Minister paid tribute to residents of 11 villages who surrendered their lands, homes and native villages for the project.

He said the government had already disbursed Rs 768 crore in compensation to 6,206 displaced families within 48 days and would provide additional assistance to ensure that no displaced family was left disadvantaged. The project, estimated at Rs 10,200 crore, has so far seen expenditure of Rs 7,983 crore. The first phase includes 18.8 km of twin tunnels and 21.8 km of feeder canals and will transfer 10.7 TMC of Krishna water to Nallamala Sagar.

Naidu sharply attacked the previous YSRCP government, alleging that the project had suffered prolonged delays and that claims of completion before the 2024 elections were misleading. He said the NDA government had resolved pending technical issues, including the tunnel-boring machinery problem, and completed the first phase.

Once fully completed, Veligonda is expected to irrigate 4.47 lakh acres across 30 mandals and provide drinking water to nearly 23 lakh people in the three districts. Naidu also promised to complete the second phase by 2028, announced plans to complete Polavaram by March 2027, and said the government would pursue river-linking projects and complete 36 irrigation projects over the next three years. He further announced that the 2028 Krishna Pushkarams would be celebrated in Markapuram, signalling a broader development push for the newly formed district.